Departmental Written Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what proportion of written Questions for answer on a named day his Department has answered on the due date in the current session of Parliament to date.

Paul Murphy: This session my Department has answered 24 out of 27 named day questions on the due date, a proportion of 89 per cent.

Porton Down

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and for what purpose South Africa's Surgeon-General, Niel Knobel, visited Porton Down; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: I believe that your question relates to a claim made by Dr. Wouter Basson, during the Truth and Reconciliation Council hearings in August 2001, that Niel Knobel visited Porton Down. Officials at Dstl Porton Down have reviewed their records and have found no evidence to support the claim that this individual visited the establishment.

Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are disabled; and what the average salary in his Department is of  (a) full-time disabled staff,  (b) full-time non-disabled staff,  (c) part-time disabled staff and  (d) part-time non-disabled staff;
	(2)  when he will reply to Question 220174, on staff, tabled on 15July.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 8 October,  Official Report, column 652W.
	The statistics in respect of the Northern Ireland Office, as referred to in that response, relate only to its Home Civil Service employees. There are also a number of Northern Ireland Civil Servants working in the Department. When Northern Ireland Civil Servants are included in the total, there are 54 staff (4.1 per cent.) in the NIO core and 36 staff (4.7 per cent.) in its executive agencies who have advised the Department that they have a disability.

Water Charges

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North Shropshire, of 26 June 2008,  Official Report, column 441W, on water charges, what estimate he has made of the effect on funding to be provided from central government to the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of not implementing a policy of revised water charges in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: Policy on water charging is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Any associated costs would be met from within the Northern Ireland block grant, which was set out in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Elderly

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the relationships are between his Department, the Better Government for Older People programme, the Older People's Advisory Group and the Centre for Policy on Ageing.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Work and Pensions is the main funder of Better Government for Older People (BGOP). BGOP support a network of volunteers, the Older People's Advisory Group. The Centre for Policy on Ageing host BGOP, employing staff and providing accommodation.

Occupational Pensions: Public Sector

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new public sector pensions have been opened in each of the last 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Membership data on individual public sector pension schemes is available in their published resource accounts.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many written warnings have been issued to benefit claimants about the consequences of failure to engage in a rehabilitation programme in respect of anti-social or criminal behaviour under the provisions of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 as amended by the Welfare Reform Act 2007; in how many cases benefit sanctions have been applied; what progress has been made in the pilot areas; how many warnings and sanctions have been issued in each pilot area; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 9 October 2008
	There have been no written warnings issued or sanctions applied in the pilot areas for the sanction of housing benefit related to antisocial behaviour.
	The eight local authorities all have the necessary processes in place to offer suitable rehabilitation in cases where it would be appropriate. Some have introduced details about the sanction into their literature and warning letters to tenants.

Equal Pay: Prosecutions

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many prosecutions of private sector employers took place under the Equal Pay Act 1970 for the underpayment of female workers between 2000 and 2007.

Maria Eagle: The Equal Pay Act 1970 does not contain any criminal offences, so there can be no prosecutions under it. Anyone who considers that they have been paid less than a person of the opposite gender for doing like work, work rated the same, or work of equal value can make a civil claim under the Equal Pay Act 1970 before an employment tribunal.
	The number of equal pay claims made to employment tribunals is published by the Employment Tribunal Service (ETS), but information on whether the claim was brought against a public or private sector is not recorded.
	The following table records the number of claims made in each period which included a claim for equal pay.
	
		
			   Equal pay claims 
			 2000-01 4,712 
			 2001-02 8,762 
			 2002-03 5,053 
			 2003-04 4,412 
			 2004-05 8,229 
			 2005-06 17,268 
			 2006-07 44,013 
		
	
	Data in this table is taken from the ETS Annual Reports for the years 2003-04 and 2005-06, and the Annual Statistics 2006-07, all of which are published on the ETS website:
	http://www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/publications/publications.htm

Apprentices

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government has taken to reduce the burden of administration within the apprenticeship scheme.

Si�n Simon: On 7 August this year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills announced Government proposals to cut red tape concerning Apprenticeships in response to employers' concerns. We will remove unnecessary bureaucracy such as demands to store paperwork for up to six years; multiple inspection visits; and minimise reporting requirements at the earliest possible opportunity. In line with the successful actions of some of Britain's leading employers, we will introduce improvements including more efficient use of electronic audit and storage, simpler and faster registration and certification processes, and more streamlined payment and reporting systems. These practical measures will enable more employers to meet their present and future skills needs, unimpeded by time-consuming and costly administration.
	We are also working with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, who recently surveyed SMEs to establish how the new National Apprenticeship Service can better meet the needs of employers. The survey focused on, although was not limited to, reducing the administrative burden on business. Together we will consider how best to incorporate the recommendations coming out of the survey.

Chelmsford College

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will provide funding for adult learning support at Chelmsford college for 2008-09 to make up for the shortfall contingent on the changes made to the funding formula.

Si�n Simon: The level of additional learning support (ALS) based on the new funding methodology was finalised through the negotiation and allocation process between the Learning and Skills Council and Chelmsford college as part of wider discussions on overall funding allocations for the college. This resulted in the final funding allocation being agreed for 2008/09. ALS is part of the overall funding allocation for Chelmsford college. The overall funding allocation for the college (including ALS) is 9.7 million in 2008/09 (an increase of 3.7 per cent. compared to 2007/08).
	Changes to the way ALS was calculated for 2008/09 were made following consultation across the full range of FE colleges and providers. These changes were introduced to ensure that the funding was better focussed on need rather than purely on an historical basis.
	We recognise that with any change to funding approach there is a period of transitional and to allow for this and to minimise the impact on colleges' budgets only 60 per cent. of ALS has been distributed using the formula approach in 2008/09. The remaining 40 per cent. has been allocated on the basis of the historical proportion of the budget.

European High Power Laser Energy Research Facility

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which UK companies are involved in the European High Power Laser Energy Research Facility; and what financial and other assistance his Department is providing to those companies.

Si�n Simon: The first phase of the High Power laser Energy Research facility project (HiPER) was launched in London on 6 October 2008. This event marked the formal start of a three-year preparatory phase that is jointly funded by the European Commission, the UK (through the Science and Technology Facilities Council), and various European partners. A number of UK companies attended the event.
	The purpose of the preparatory phase is to establish the technical, legal, financial, industrial and strategic development path for this large scale scientific facility. During this phase the project will develop relationships with potential industrial suppliers, particularly in lasers and optics, over the next three years. There is no substantial procurement in this first phase.

Training: Interpreters

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will recommend that the Learning and Skills Council establish a source of ringfenced funding for the training of public service interpreters; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for the funding of post-16 further education (FE) and training delivered through FE colleges and providers in England.
	Government funding through the LSC is focused on supporting adults and young people to gain the skills they need for sustainable employment and progression in learning. Investment is prioritised on basic literacy and numeracy, full level 2 and full level 3 qualifications as well as a range of first steps provision offering opportunities for progression below level 2. The LSC also funds some provision at level 4 and above, for example the Diploma in Public Service Interpreters. For courses at this level, where the learner/employer sees the greatest private returns, they are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of the course.
	In line with our response to the Leitch Review of Skills we are committed to increasing funding through demand-led routes to ensure that funding is responsive to learner and employer needs. We would therefore not seek to ring fence funding for a specific course as this would run counter to this aim.

Training: Trade Unions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what level of funding he has made available for trades union training in each of the last three years.

Si�n Simon: Trade unions have a key role to play in promoting the development of learning and skills in the workplace. To help them do this more effectively we introduced the Union Learning Fund in 1998. This source of funding is helping trade unions use their influence with employers, employees and training providers to encourage greater take up of learning at work and boost their own capacity as learning organisations. The level of funding in each of the last three financial years has been as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2005-06 15.4 
			 2006-07 16.9 
			 2007-08 18.4 
		
	
	With the help of the union learning fund, trade unions and their union learning representatives have been able to develop successful partnerships with employers to raise skill levels in the workplace. There are now over 20,500 trained union learning reps who have helped over 600,000 workers back into learning since the fund was introduced. Over 200,000 were helped last year, many from those hard to reach groups, who employers and training providers find it so difficult to engage with, including over 34,000 workers with poor basic literacy and numeracy skills.
	Union learning representatives and other trade union representatives and officers can also access LSC funded training, delivered through a network of approved colleges, to help them carry out their duties more effectively. There is no separate budget allocated for this type of training.

Departmental Written Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of written Questions for answer on a named day his Department has answered on the due date in the current session of Parliament to date.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice answered 621 named day written questions on the day specified out of a total of 837 questions from 6 November 2007 up to and including 13 October 2008 this represents 74.19 per cent. We also answered 1,955 ordinary written questions out of 2,548 during the same period, this represents 76.73 per cent.

Driving Offences: Mobile Phones

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many successful prosecutions there have been for illegal use of a mobile telephone whilst driving in each year since it became an offence, broken down by police force area.

Maria Eagle: Available information on prosecutions and convictions in the period 1 December 2003 to end 2006 (latest available) taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by my Department, are provided in the following table. 2007 data should be available later this year.
	The majority of use of hand held mobile phone while driving offences are dealt with under the fixed penalty notices scheme. The table does not include fixed penalty notices but does include cases where fixed penalty notices were issued but not paid and subsequently referred to court.
	
		
			  Proceedings and findings of guilt at magistrates courts for the offence of use of hand held mobile phone while driving( 1,)( )( 2)  by police force area, England and Wales, 2003-06 
			  Number of offences 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Police force area  Total court proceedings( 2)  Total findings of guilt  Total court proceedings( 2)  Total findings of guilt  Total court proceedings( 2)  Total findings of guilt  Total court proceedings( 2)  Total findings of guilt 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 19 19 47 39 54 48 
			 Bedfordshire 1 1 5 5 16 13 76 62 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 7 6 19 19 52 46 
			 Cheshire 0 0 2 1 15 14 36 30 
			 Cleveland 0 0 4 3 7 7 20 16 
			 Cumbria 0 0 24 24 41 35 57 53 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 17 16 52 49 35 30 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 19 17 27 25 52 42 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 3 3 4 3 
			 Durham 0 0 1 1 2 2 16 15 
			 Essex 0 0 28 25 64 53 71 65 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 1 1 4 4 10 7 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 73 65 154 136 183 158 
			 Hampshire 0 0 18 15 40 34 69 63 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 6 6 70 64 65 52 
			 Humberside 0 0 4 4 25 22 45 39 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 0 0 17 16 48 46 62 48 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 12 9 28 26 26 24 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 9 5 15 12 30 24 
			 London, City of 0 0 7 5 14 12 24 20 
			 Merseyside 0 0 22 20 27 23 46 41 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 203 124 658 545 685 588 
			 Norfolk 0 0 20 15 21 17 31 21 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 32 29 22 20 98 89 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 18 18 35 30 34 33 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 8 7 26 24 17 15 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 12 12 25 21 43 32 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 11 10 21 21 19 16 
			 Suffolk 0 0 7 4 22 17 21 16 
			 Surrey 0 0 9 7 91 82 92 88 
			 Sussex 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 24 21 126 112 211 175 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 7 7 17 13 20 16 
			 West Mercia 0 0 17 15 59 50 88 74 
			 West Midlands 0 0 61 52 109 88 121 94 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 11 9 47 38 52 37 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 21 19 29 22 38 32 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 13 13 16 13 15 14 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 4 3 6 4 
			 North Wales 0 0 3 3 17 13 30 26 
			 South Wales 0 0 16 12 25 20 28 21 
			 England and Wales 1 1 789 641 2,090 1,789 2,682 2,277 
			 (1) Offences under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, Regulations 110(1), 110(2) and 110 (3). Introduced 1 December 2003. (2) Includes cases where a fixed penalty notice was originally issued but not paid and subsequently referred to court.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Drugs: Misuse

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to review the law relating to the responsibility of a supplier of a toxic substance to a person when that person voluntarily takes the substance themselves with consequent harm in the light of the House of Lords judgement R v Kennedy.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice have no plans to review the law in this area. If a person of sound mind freely and voluntarily administers a drug to himself, it would not be appropriate for the law to hold the supplier of the drug responsible for that decision. In the case of R  v. Kennedy (No 2) [2007] UKHL 38 the defendant was found guilty of supplying a controlled drug. That is a serious offence reflecting the harm that controlled drugs can do. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment, or a fine, or both. The defendant was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
	In this particular case, the person supplied subsequently died as a result of taking the drug. But the conviction for manslaughter was not upheld on appeal, because administering the drug was the decision of the deceased and the appellant could not be said to have committed a criminal act which had been a significant cause of the deceased's death.

Elections: Greater London

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley of 4 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1037W, on elections: Greater London, if he will assess the extent to which voters understood the conceptual differences between the second preference in the Supplementary Vote Election System for Mayor of London and the second vote in Additional Member System for the London Assembly, when casting their votes.

Michael Wills: The Government have no plans to undertake itself an assessment of this issue. Under the terms of section 6 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 the Electoral Commission may submit reports on local government elections, including elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. In July 2008, the Electoral Commission published its report on the administration of the Greater London Authority elections on 1 May 2008. The report covers levels of rejected ballot papers, and public understanding of ballot papers though does not directly assess the extent to which voters understood the differences between the voting systems in use for the Mayoral and London Assembly elections.

Prisoners: Mentally Ill

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what facilities are available in prisons to prisoners diagnosed with mental health problems.

David Hanson: All prisoners are assessed at the point of reception into prison and those at risk of having a mental health problem, or vulnerable to suicide, are referred for a mental health assessment to the mental health in-reach team. Nearly 20 million a year is being invested recurrently in mental health in-reach. There are 102 mental health in-reach teams with all prisons having access to them: a total of 360 extra staff altogether.
	There are new systems to monitor and support those at risk of harming themselves and prison officers are being trained in mental health awareness. 600,000 has been invested over three years to 2009 to train frontline prison staff. Investment (308 million in 2006-07 and 336 million in 2007-08) is also being made in four close supervision centres (CSC) at Whitemoor, Wakefield, Woodhill and Long Lartin prisons to deliver mental health care to those prisoners whose offending behaviour and history mean that containment in secure isolated accommodation is the only option.
	Furthermore, in relation to the small number of people with a severe personality disorder who are dangerous, the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice are investing in special secure services. The programme has a capacity of over 300 places in two high security prisons (Frankland and Whitemoor); a female prison (Low Newton in Durham) and two high security hospitals (Broadmoor and Rampton). They provide essential clinical services for dangerous offenders whose offending is linked to severe personality disorder.
	The Government have asked Lord Bradley to consider the diversion of offenders with mental health problems and learning disabilities away from prison and we look forward to considering his report which we expect will be available at the end of the year.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many serving prisoners received additional terms of imprisonment for assaulting prison staff in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many serving prisoners were convicted of assaulting prison staff in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many prison staff members were assaulted by prisoners while on duty in each of the last three years.

Jack Straw: Information about action taken by the police, and the outcome of criminal proceedings, is not held by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).
	NOMS and the Prison Officers Association are jointly committed to 'zero tolerance' on assaults on staff. I have written to the Attorney-General and the Home Secretary, both of whom are committed to pursing a robust and consistent approach to the involvement of the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in prosecuting such assaults. Along side working with the CPS and the police, enhanced guidance is also currently being developed by police advisers section in NOMS headquarters on a much wider agenda of crime reporting in prisons. This guidance will address the subject of the reporting and investigation of allegations of assault on prison staff and aims to provide national consistency in classifying and responding to crime committed in prisons. The guidance will be an important step in making sure that the most serious incidents are referred to the police.
	The following table shows incidents of prisoner on staff assaults in each of the last three years for which figures are available. The number of prisoner on staff assaults has remained stable, despite a rise in the prison population.
	The information is subject to important qualifications. The NOMS incident reporting system processes high volumes of data which are constantly being updated. The numbers provide a good indication of overall numbers but should not be interpreted as absolute.
	Assault data is complex and the numbers need to be interpreted with caution. Information recorded as assault incidents may involve one or more victim.
	The numbers supplied refer to the number of individual assault incidents. The numbers refer to all incidents recorded as assaults; these may also include threatening behaviour, projection of bodily fluids and other non-contact events and allegations.
	
		
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 Prisoner on staff assaults 3,171 3,148 2,916 
			 Mid Year Prison Population 76,190 77,982 80,205

Prisons: Drugs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department has issued in writing to prison governors on  (a) misuse of bupranorphine,  (b) systems of administering methadone and  (c) the risks associated with naltrexone in the last three years.

David Hanson: Advice on reducing the supply of drugsincluding illicit buprenorphineinto prisons has been issued to all prisons in England and Wales.
	On 13 March 2008 governors were informed that as of 1 April 2008 buprenorphine would be included in the panel of drugs tested for under the Mandatory Drug Testing (MDT) programme.
	In 2008 the Department of Health issued governors (in public prisons) and directors (in contracted prisons) with copies of the following documents:
	Department of Health (2006) Clinical management of drug dependence in the adult prison setting
	Department of Health (2007) Drug misuse and drug dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management
	Both of these documents feature, detailed guidance on the safe and effective clinical use of methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone.

Sentencing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he has taken to ensure consistency in the length of sentences handed down by judges for similar offences.

Maria Eagle: In 2003 the Government created the Sentencing Guidelines Council for England and Wales which must have regard to promoting consistency in sentencing when it frames its guidelines. This complements the responsibility of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division to promote a consistent approach to sentencing with the assistance of the Judicial Studies Board.
	To facilitate a more informed approach to consistency, in December 2007 the Government published a report on geographic variations in custodial sentencing in England and Wales for 2003 to 2006, and possible causes.
	In December 2008 the Government and the Lord Chief Justice set up a working group chaired by Lord Justice Gage into sentencing guidelines, which looked, amongst other things, into ways to improve consistency, and made recommendations. The Government is currently considering those proposals.
	The Northern Ireland Court of Appeal delivers guideline judgments on sentencing in Northern Ireland. These sentencing guideline cases encourage consistency in sentencing throughout the courts of Northern Ireland and support sentencers in their decision making. In addition, the Judicial Studies Board of Northern Ireland provides training to the judiciary on a range of issues, including sentencing.

South East

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on services, broken down by type in  (a) Dartford Borough,  (b) Kent Thameside,  (c) the Thames Gateway,  (d) Kent County Council area and  (e) the South East region in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The information is as follows:
	 HM Courts Service
	
		
			   South East (000) 
			 2005-06 133,574 
			 2006-07 144,179 
			 2007-08 146,760 
		
	
	Spend for years prior to 2005-06 could be provided only at disproportionate cost as HM Courts Service formed in April 2005.
	Spend for other requested areas could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	 Tribunals Service
	
		
			   Greater London and the South East( 1)  (000) 
			 2006-07 33,593 
			 2007-08 36,720 
			 (1) Administrative area and not necessarily geographic. 
		
	
	Spend for years prior to 2006-07 could be provided only at disproportionate cost as Tribunals Service formed in April 2006.
	Spend for the South East region only and other requested areas could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	 HM Prison Service
	
		
			  000 
			   Thames Gateway  Rest of Kent  Rest of South East 
			 2003-04 52,742 32,259 167,380 
			 2004-05 89,648 32,216 173,642 
			 2005-06 97,662 33,323 179,801 
			 2006-07 106,197 30,024 179,577 
			 2007-08 108,771 32,621 190,735 
		
	
	There are no prison establishments in Dartford borough or Kent Thameside.
	 National Probation Service
	
		
			  000 
			   Kent  South East region 
			 2003-04 15,727 76,367 
			 2004-05 16,401 77,930 
			 2005-06 18,734 88,105 
			 2006-07 19,795 91,600 
			 2007-08 20,809 97,454 
		
	
	Spend for other requested areas could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	 Office of the Public Guardian
	An answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost, as OPG does not serve defined administrative areas.

Cycling: Standards

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many schools in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point provide cycling proficiency lessons.

Paul Clark: The Government do not hold data the provision of cycle training by individual schools. We monitor delivery of training courses by local authorities and school sports partnerships who are awarded Government grants to fund national standard cycle training in schools. Local authorities monitor outputs from their own schemes.
	Essex county council has been awarded 10,000 for 2008-09 to provide 250 national standard training places. School Sports Partnerships in Essex have been awarded 64,000 to provide a further 1,600 places, including 75 in Castle Point and Rochford.
	These funding allocations represent part of the significant increase in overall allocations of 140 million over the years. Further and within Essex, Colchester and Southend have been awarded 'Cycle Demonstration Town' status.
	In addition to this, Essex county council funds and delivers the Essex Cyclist Training scheme (ECTS). It is available to all primary schools for children aged 10 years and above. Last year 3,080 pupils were trained, of which 80 were in the Castle Point district. Although this training is not currently equivalent to the national standard, Essex stated in their 2008-09 Cycling England grant bid their aspiration to transfer training to national standard by 2015.

Departmental Telephone Services

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what agencies or units for which his Department is responsible require the public to make telephone calls to them on numbers which charge more than the national call rate; and how much income each such agency derived from such charges in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: The information requested is as follows, for the last three financial years and rounded:
	
		
			   2005-06  (000)  2006-07  (000)  2007-08  (000)  Comments 
			 DfT (Central) 0 0 0 Had a 0845 line for a short period 
			 in 2007-08, generating no income 
			 DVLA 2,424 2,894 3,382 DVLA operates as a Trading Fund and income from 0870 lines supports the cost of the call centre and services. 
			 DSA 693.2 623.3 672.0 0870 numbers are being replaced with low rate 0300 ones from 31 October 2008. 
			 VOSA 63.4 72.4 78.6 Replaced with a new low rate 0300 number from 1 September 2008. 
			 VCA 0 0 0 Has one 0844 line, generating no income 
			 HA 0 0 0 Calls to the 0845 HA Information Line are charged at a local rate. 
			 MCA 0 0 0 Has one 0870 line which generates no income 
			 GCDA 0 0 0 Has no premium rate lines

Level Crossings: Accidents

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many serious injuries have occurred on level crossings in the last five years.

Paul Clark: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Serious injuries on British level crossings, 2003-07 
			   Fatal injuries  Major injuries( 1)  Over three day injuries( 2)  Hospital treatment( 3)  Total 
			 2003 16 1 1 24 42 
			 2004 14 3 4 57 78 
			 2005 16 1 2 18 37 
			 2006 8 2 9 17 36 
			 2007 12 1 3 10 26 
			 Total 66 8 19 126 219 
			 (1) This category only applies to railway employees. (2) This category only applies to injuries to railway employees that required a three day or over absence from work. (3) This category only applies to members of the public injured at a level crossing and taken directly to hospital for treatment. 
		
	
	The data is based on incidents reported to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95).
	Injuries to trespassers, attempted suicides and confirmed suicides have been excluded from the table.

M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will take steps to approve a scheme for the re-location of junction 14 of the M6 to a position further north of Stafford;
	(2)  if he will take steps to approve a scheme for the early re-construction of junction 15 of the M6 to a modern motorway standard;
	(3)  when he expects to introduce the first active traffic management scheme on the M6; and at what location;
	(4)  what his policy is on the widening of the M6 between junctions 11 and 19.

Paul Clark: Following the Advanced Motorway Signalling and Traffic Management Feasibility Study published in March 2008 the Secretary of State announced a programme of work to examine in detail where dynamic use of the hard shoulder should be implemented more widely to ease congestion and improve reliability on the network.
	The M6 from junctions 10a (Wolverhampton) to 19 (Knutsford) is one of the areas being examined for potential roll out of hard shoulder running. This detailed feasibility work is due to be complete by the end of the year and includes examining what improvements to existing junctions may also be necessary, although it does not at this stage consider the relocation of junctions. Decisions on the nature, priority and timing of improvements to the M6 and the need for any further investigation works, such as looking at relocating junctions, will be made following the conclusions of this work.

M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to arrange the early re-surfacing of the M6 between junctions 13 and 14.

Paul Clark: The Highways Agency has indicated that tests are currently under way between Junctions 13 and 14 of the M6 to identify when the next major resurfacing scheme will be required, although this is unlikely to be within the next three years.
	Following recent spending reviews, the Government decided that resurfacing schemes should not be brought forward ahead of normal maintenance needs. When resurfacing is carried out, general policy is to use materials with low noise properties wherever possible.

Railways: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the upgrade of Milton Keynes Central train station is due to be completed; and at what cost.

Paul Clark: holding answer 13 October 2008
	The upgrade of Milton Keynes Central Station, including the track and associated signalling, is due to be completed over the Christmas and new year period 2008.
	The total cost is some 120 million.

Railways: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many extra  (a) Virgin and  (b) London Midland trains will stop at Milton Keynes Central as a result of the platform upgrade.

Paul Clark: holding answer 13 October 2008
	With the introduction of new timetables on the West Coast Main Line, there will be an additional hourly service, provided by Virgin Trains, between London and Chester, which will call at Milton Keynes Central.
	London Midland will also provide a new hourly service between London and Crewe, via Northampton, also calling at Milton Keynes Central.
	Southern is planning to extend their hourly West London Line service, presently terminating at Watford Junction, to Milton Keynes Central.
	Currently these changes are proposed to be phased in between early December 2008 and late January 2009.

Railways: Public Appointments

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to appoint a Chairman for the Office of Rail Regulator.

Paul Clark: holding answer 13 October 2008
	 The process for appointing a new chairman of the Office of Rail Regulation is already under way. It is hoped that the new chairman could be in place by July 2009, with a transition period beginning in April 2009.

Roads: Construction

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her latest estimate is of the construction cost per mile of a three-lane motorway with  (a) a continuous hard shoulder,  (b) emergency refuge areas every 500 metres,  (c) emergency refuge areas every 800 metres,  (d) emergency refuge areas every 1,000 metres and  (e) neither hard shoulder nor emergency refuge areas.

Paul Clark: The estimated range of construction costs for one mile of three-lane motorway with a continuous hard shoulder is from 21.4 million to 35.0 million. This compares with a range of 19.3 million to 31.5 million for a three-lane motorway without hard shoulder. The estimated rates cover the construction costs of a new dual three-lane rural motorway including detail design costs and statutory undertakers' diversions, but excluding land costs, VAT and the Highways Agency's Agent and administration costs.
	The Highways Agency does not hold estimates for the costs of construction of a new motorway with emergency refuges at any distance, as they have never undertaken or considered a project of this type. The M42 Active Traffic Management Pilot cost 9.0 million per mile but this scheme added hard shoulder running and emergency refuge areas at around 500 metres to an existing three-lane motorway with hard shoulder. However, costs will vary on a scheme by scheme basis and so the M42 pilot might not represent the typical cost of adding hard shoulder running with emergency refuge areas at around 500 m.
	Following the Advanced Motorway Signalling and Traffic Management Feasibility Study, further work is under way to examine in detail the scope for a wider roll out of dynamic hard shoulder running. This will include analysis of the cost of adding hard shoulder running to existing motorways with emergency refuges at around 800 m.

Stansted Airport: Exhaust Emissions

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the additional greenhouse gas emissions that would result from an expansion of air traffic capacity at Stansted Airport.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Our current forecasts of UK aviation carbon dioxide emissions were reported in UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts, published in November 2007 and available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/
	According to these forecasts, using Stansted's existing runway to the new maximum permitted capacity would result in additional carbon dioxide emissions of around one million tonnes per annum by 2015. This would be equivalent to an increase of less than 1 per cent. in total UK transport emissions, or an increase of around 0.2 per cent. in total UK emissions.
	These forecasts also show that the opening of a second runway at Stansted, which will be the subject of a separate planning inquiry in 2009, would cause the UK's annual carbon dioxide emissions to increase by an additional 2.3 million tonnes per annum, when averaged over the period 2015 to 2075.
	The Government's strategy for tackling the climate change impacts of aviation are set out in the 2003 Air Transport White Paper. Our view is that the most effective way of tackling the climate change impacts of aviation is through including the aviation sector in a well designed, international emissions trading regime. This would ensure that any increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector would be matched by a corresponding reduction in another sector, which the aviation industry would pay for.

Departmental Air Travel

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 14 July 2008,  Official Report, column 27W, on carbon emissions: Government departments, how much air mileage incurred through departmental travel was used to calculate the departmental payment to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund in each year that his Department has participated in the fund, broken down by  (a) domestic,  (b) short haul and  (c) long haul flights.

Angela Eagle: In 2006-07 the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund were only broken down into long haul and short haul, but for 2007-08 a third category for domestic flights has been added for calculation purposes.
	The mileage used for calculations for GCOF payments is as follows:
	
		
			  Miles 
			   Short haul  Long haul  Domestic 
			 2006-07(1) 1,954,044 1,533,738  
			 2007-08(2) 190,127 780,756 1,023,189 
			 (1) These are for HM Treasury, but included some flights taken by Debt Management Office. (2) These figures are for HM Treasury.

Departmental Computers

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the Cabinet Office's policy is on the disposal of hard disks from redundant personal computers.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. Member to the Data Handling Report, the publication of which was announced in the statement made by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Edward Miliband) on 25 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 25-6WS. The report and the cross government mandatory minimum measures state the core requirements that Departments must adhere to in relation to the secure disposal of both paper and electronic records. A copy of the cross government mandatory minimum measures has been deposited in the Libraries of the House and is available on the following website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/~/media/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/csia/dhr/cross_gov080625%20pdf.ashx
	Paragraph 16 of the mandatory minimum measures for Government Departments states that All material that has been used for protected data should be subject to controlled disposal.
	Guidance to Departments on the secure erasure and disposal of different types of magnetic, semi-conductor and optical media is published by CESG, the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance and is available on their website accessible from the Government Secure Intranet.

Housing: Low Incomes

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to increase the provision of affordable housing in rural areas.

Iain Wright: The Housing Corporation has been set a national target to provide 10,300 affordable homes in smaller rural communities from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Grant will be allocated to those schemes which meet the needs of local people, the regional strategy and demonstrate strong value for money from the 8.4 billion National Affordable Housing Programme.
	The Prime Minister commissioned a report from Matthew Taylor (MP for Truro and St. Austell) who has been looking at how land use and planning can better support rural business and deliver affordable housing in rural communities. His report, published in July, provides a comprehensive review of the issues that our rural communities face, and provides a number of practical recommendations. We are looking at the report in detail and will publish a full response later this year.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to reply to Question 167261, on insurance of flood-damaged property, tabled on 19 November 2007.

Sadiq Khan: The hon. Member's question was transferred to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and answered by my hon. Friend the then Environment Minister (Mr. Woolas) on 27 November 2007,  Official Report, column 316W.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people eligible to receive the education maintenance allowance achieved three As at A-level in each year since the allowance was introduced.

Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold information on the percentage of those claiming education maintenance allowance studying for As or A-level exams.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils gaining five good GCSEs did so by gaining five separate GCSE qualifications excluding equivalents in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils achieving 5 good GCSEs excluding equivalents 
			   Percentage 
			 2003 49.9 
			 2004 50.2 
			 2005 51.2 
			 2006 51.6 
			 2007 52.1 
			  Note: Figures relate to pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in all schools.

Schools: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many requests for marking reviews of  (a) key stage 2 and  (b) key stage 3 tests were received in each year from 2002 to 2007; what proportion of these requests resulted in a change of mark; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Tables 1 and 2 as follows show how many requests were received, since 2004, for a marking review of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 national curriculum tests, and what proportion of the requests resulted in a level change.
	Data for the period 2001-03 is not available in the format requested.
	The figures in the tables were provided by the National Assessment Agency (NAA), which is responsible for the administration of national curriculum tests including the external marking and group reviews service to schools.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Review requested (pupils)  Reviews resulting in a lower level (Pupil)  Reviews resulting in an increase in level (Pupil) 
			  Reviews  2004  2005  2006  2007  2004  2005  2006  2007  2004  2005  2006  200 7 
			  KS2 English 
			 Individual review 11480 15509 7516 5736 50 26 7 8 2441 762 505 185 
			 (Percentage) 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.38 0.12 0.08 0.03 
			  
			 Group review(1) n/a 4561 9957 3784 124 55 56 60 1209 320 149 49 
			 (Percentage) 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.19 0.05 0.02 0.0 
			  
			  KS2 Mathematics 
			 Individual review 623 578 755 670 4 3 0 0 239 282 324 286 
			 (Percentage) 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.04 
			  
			 Group review 0 0 67 0 n/a 0 1 0 n/a 0 2 0 
			 (Percentage) n/an/a
			  
			  KS2 Science 
			 Individual review 1129 885 1164 1340 6 2 0 2 634 435 525 555 
			 (Percentage) 0.10 0.07 0.08 0.09 
			  
			 Group review 0 0 27 9 n/a 0 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 
			 (Percentage) n/an/a
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Reviews requested (pupils)  Reviews resulting in a lower level (pupil)  Reviews resulting in an increase in level (pupil) 
			  Reviews  2004  2005  2006  200 7  2004  2005  2006  2007  2004  2005  2006  200 7 
			  KS3 English 
			 Individual review 6978 2413 4790 3446 306 18 5 10 3870 1077 775 1521 
			 (Percentage) 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.60 0.17 0.12 0.23 
			  
			 Group review n/a 20544 75133 25549 2422 581 107 488 10968 2485 1825 3019 
			 (Percentage) 0.37 0.09 0.02 0.08 1.69 0.38 0.28 0.46 
			  
			  KS3 Mathematics 
			 Individual review 479 604 615 536 13 2 0 1 289 403 401 283 
			 (Percentage) 0.000.04 0.06 0.06 0.04 
			  
			 Group review n/a 0 230 0 n/a 0 5 0 n/a 0 11 0 
			 (Percentage) n/a  0.00  n/a  0.00  
			  
			  KS3 Science 
			 Individual review 3086 2298 1976 2651 31 8 5 3 1157 832 779 898 
			 (Percentage) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.13 0.12 0.14 
			  
			 Group review n/a 870 426 825 n/a 35 18 15 n/a 61 21 22 
			 (Percentage) n/a 0.01 0.00 0.00 n/a 0.01 0.00 0.00 
			 (1) Group reviews in mathematics and science were not conducted until 2005

Teachers: Vetting

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what advice the Department gives to local authorities on whether  (a) head teachers,  (b) teaching staff,  (c) non-teaching school staff and  (d) governors should be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau prior to commencing their duties or subsequent to so doing.

Beverley Hughes: Advice on this issue can be found in paragraphs 4.24, 4.25, and 4.58 of Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education which came into effect in January 2007. CRB disclosures for new appointments to head teacher, teaching and non teaching posts should be obtained before staff begin work. If this is not possible they should be obtained as soon as possible after appointment. Such appointments will be conditional upon receipt of a satisfactory CRB disclosure. We do recognise that occasionally there can be problems obtaining disclosures prior to starting work. Head teachers, principals and local authorities therefore have the option to allow people to start work while waiting for a disclosure to be processed. In such cases they need to ensure that the individual is appropriately supervised and that all other checks including a List 99 check have been completed. Disclosures are not required if the person is moving from a similar post in a school, local authority or FE college and there has not been a break in employment of more than three months. Governors are not required to have an enhanced disclosure unless their duties include regular work in the presence of children, or who care for, train supervise or are in sole charge of children. Governors who do not require a disclosure are asked to sign a declaration confirming their suitability to fulfil their role. Governors will be required to register with the new mandatory work force vetting scheme administered by the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

Vocational Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people in each local authority area are enrolled on an entry to employment programme.

Jim Knight: This information is not compiled for individual local authorities. Numbers of people that enrolled on an entry to employment programme in each Learning and Skills Council local office areas, which typically cover a number of local authorities, are given in the following table. This covers the 2007/08 academic year which is the latest data available.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham 1,196 
			 Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton 1,634 
			 Kent, Medway 1,736 
			 Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire (1)711 
			 Surrey 111 
			 Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex 428 
			 Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Westminster 1,758 
			 Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Waltham Forest 863 
			 Bromley, Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton 893 
			 Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets 1,759 
			 Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow 757 
			 Bedfordshire, Luton 620 
			 Cambridgeshire, Peterborough 705 
			 Essex, Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock 1,513 
			 Hertfordshire 630 
			 Norfolk 795 
			 Suffolk 634 
			 Bournemouth, Poole, Dorset 742 
			 Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, Plymouth, Torbay 1,208 
			 Gloucestershire (1)561 
			 Somerset (1)639 
			 Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire 858 
			 Swindon, Wiltshire 1,140 
			 Birmingham, Solihull 1,760 
			 Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton 1,674 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire 1,036 
			 Herefordshire, Worcestershire 713 
			 Shropshire, Telford and The Wrekin 602 
			 Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent 1,188 
			 Derby, Derbyshire 1,531 
			 Leicester, Leicestershire 769 
			 Lincolnshire, Rutland 623 
			 Northamptonshire 744 
			 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 913 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire 1,242 
			 York, North Yorkshire 408 
			 Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield 2,623 
			 Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield 3,398 
			 Cheshire, Warrington 400 
			 Cumbria 1,514 
			 Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan 2,889 
			 Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, Wirral 3,392 
			 Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Lancashire 2,085 
			 Durham 849 
			 Northumberland 451 
			 Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton on Tees 1,469 
			 Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland 2,174 
			 (1) 2007/08 data is suspected to be flawed; figures given here are for 2006/07.

Young People's Learning Agency

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the  (a) set-up and  (b) running costs of the Young People's Learning Agency will be, broken down by function of the Agency.

Jim Knight: This information is not yet available. My officials continue to work with LSC, local government and other stakeholders on the blueprint for the new agency, which we intend to publish further detail on later in the autumn. I am committed to a more learner focused commissioning process that enables local authorities to make informed integrated commissioning decisions to ensure that every young persons needs can be met in the most effective way.

Cancer: Health Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy published in December 2007, if he will place in the Library the data from which the graphs on pages  (a) 88,  (b) 120 and  (c) 121 were drawn.

Ann Keen: The data represented in the graph on page 88 of the Cancer Reform Strategy (Proportion of patients in England arid Wales in the various age bands who received any active anti-cancer treatment) are set out the in the following table. This table has been taken from page 34 (figure 8.4.10) of the National Lung Cancer Audit Report 2006. The table shows any active anti-cancer treatments received by lung cancer patients first seen in 2006 by age groups for all lung cancers, excluding small cell carcinoma.
	
		
			  Any anti-cancer treatment by age groupall lung cancers excluding small cell carcinoma 
			  Age group  Count  Percentage 
			 -54 718 62 
			 55-59 799 61 
			 60-64 1,101 59 
			 65-69 1,329 55 
			 70-74 1,321 50 
			 75-79 1,287 41 
			 80-84 643 28 
			 85+ 181 13 
			
			 Total 7,379 46 
		
	
	The report is available on the NHS Information Centre's website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/our-services/improving-patient-care/national-clinical-audit-support-programme-ncasp/audit-reports/lung-cancer.
	A table setting out the data represented in the graph on page 120 of the Cancer Reform Strategy (Spending on cancer in 2006-07 as percentage total of primary care trust (PCT) programme spend) has been placed in the Library. The graph is based on programme budgeting data, collected as part of the annual accounts process. PCT level programme budgeting data are published annually in the form of an interactive Excel spreadsheet on the Department of Health's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Financeandplanning/Programmebudgeting/DH_075743.
	A table setting out the data represented in the bar chart on page 121 of the Cancer Reform Strategy (Estimated cost per head of NICE-approved cancer drugs used in hospitals in January to June 2005, by cancer network) has been placed in the Library. This analysis was carried out by the Department and the calculations are based on information on volumes of NICE-approved cancer drugs dispensed (from IMS Health (an international consulting and data services company) and cancer network data) and the lowest list prices of those drugs.

Hospitals: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government has taken to assist hospitals with financial management.

Ben Bradshaw: The continued development of an effective financial performance framework remains a key priority for the Department. In recent years there have been several initiatives aimed at delivering improvements in financial management in the national health service.
	As part of this new financial performance framework the Department introduced a new working capital loans system in 2006-07. Instead of relying on brokerage as a source of funding or planned support, national health service trusts' working capital requirements must now be financed by loans agreed with the Department and recorded in individual accounts. National health service trusts now have to address financial problems head-on and take steps to ensure that they live within their means. Deficits remain where they occur, and are transparent in the trust's annual accounts.
	The Department has also committed to publishing the financial position of every national health service organisation on a quarterly basis, which has increased the local accountability of national health service organisations due to a greater level scrutiny over their financial performance. As a result this has ensured that all organisations put sufficient focus on their financial performance and that there is greater involvement in meeting the financial objectives from non-finance professionals including clinicians and operational staff.
	In order to assist national health service organisations, since 2007-08 the Department has issued Payment by Results tariffs and the Operating Framework earlier than was the case in previous years. This has given the national health service more time to prepare their financial plans, and as a result these financial plans have proven to be more robust with less variation between the plan, the in year forecasting and the final outturn.
	In addition, the Department collects both year-to-date, and forecast information, on balance sheet, income and expenditure, and cash flow. Key indicators of financial performance are collected on a monthly basis and with strategic health authorities required to work with national health service organisations to provide explanations of any significant variations. In addition the Department also recognises the value of the Audit Commission's independent Auditor's Local Evaluations scores and is heavily involved in the performance management of organisations that do not meet minimum standards.
	This increased local ownership, scrutiny, and clinical engagement within the finance function in the NHS has resulted in fewer national health service organisations recording deficits in their annual accounts. In 2005-06, prior to the introduction of this more transparent financial regime, 33 per cent. national health service organisations recorded a deficit in their annual accounts compared to only 3 per cent. of organisations recording a deficit in their 2007-08 annual accounts.

NHS: Finance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the financial position of  (a) NHS Brent and  (b) the North West London Hospital Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The latest position, as published in the departmental publication 'The Quarter' (August 2008), shows that Brent PCT is forecasting a 12.3 million surplus in the 2008-09 financial year compared to a 1.7 million surplus in 2007-08 and a 25 million deficit in 2006-07. North West London Hospitals NHS Trust is forecasting a break even position for 2008-09, compared to a 1 million surplus in 2007-08 and a break even position in 2006-07. 'The Quarter' has been placed in the Library.
	In addition both of these organisations failed to meet minimum standards in their 'Use of Resources' scores, as published by the Audit Commission in their Auditor's Local Evaluation Scores 2007-08: Summary results for NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts, (October 2008). This document has been placed in the Library.
	The Department will be focusing on all organisations who failed to meet these minimum standards to ensure an action plan is in place to address the issues very quickly.

Primary Care Trusts: Finance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated to primary care trusts at the start of the financial year  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and how much was returned from primary care trusts to strategic health authorities at the end of each of those financial years.

Ben Bradshaw: Details of the revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are shown in the table.
	Under the financial regime applied to the national health service surpluses are reported in the accounts of the individual organisations that generate them. Consequently, PCTs do not return surpluses to their strategic health authority. Surpluses are not lost to the NHS, but are available to be carried forward for use in future years.
	
		
			  000 
			  PCT  2006-07 allocation  2007-08 allocation 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 410,731 449,115 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 240,688 267,023 
			 Barnet PCT 425,930 460,640 
			 Barnsley PCT 319,935 353,531 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 130,267 144,874 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 206,371 224,569 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 434,053 483,955 
			 Berkshire East Teaching PCT 429,771 467,641 
			 Berkshire West PCT 477,657 521,310 
			 Bexley PCT 258,661 281,904 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 551,721 606,916 
			 Blackburn with Darwen Teaching PCT 207,706 227,152 
			 Blackpool PCT 213,766 232,537 
			 Bolton PCT 355,301 388,481 
			 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 418,982 455,410 
			 Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 655,461 713,986 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 407,601 440,836 
			 Brighton and Hove City Teaching PCT 349,706 381,965 
			 Bristol Teaching PCT 526,977 571,181 
			 Bromley PCT 373,188 403,632 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 524,765 573,490 
			 Bury PCT 226,689 247,864 
			 Calderdale PCT 254,621 275,396 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 622,584 685,883 
			 Camden PCT 368,783 398,848 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 522,824 571,132 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 556,430 607,500 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 380,906 416,671 
			 Cornwall and Isles Of Scilly PCT 645,556 710,827 
			 County Durham PCT 711,825 784,201 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 425,221 469,451 
			 Croydon PCT 424,028 458,633 
			 Cumbria PCT 632,547 689,160 
			 Darlington PCT 136,390 147,509 
			 Derby City PCT 329,454 361,115 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 841,060 922,913 
			 Devon PCT 871,595 956,903 
			 Doncaster PCT 401,609 439,103 
			 Dorset PCT 467,804 512,900 
			 Dudley PCT 373,359 407,037 
			 Ealing PCT 444,899 481,157 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 608,574 667,728 
			 East Lancashire PCT 506,236 553,338 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 345,739 380,204 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 421,307 458,443 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent Teaching PCT 917,451 1,013,331 
			 Enfield PCT 351,514 384,190 
			 Gateshead PCT 286,689 313,317 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 669,670 731,208 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney teaching PCT 286,026 319,752 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 344,632 372.379 
			 Halton and St. Helens PCT 434,697 474,176 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 265,137 286,377 
			 Hampshire PCT 1,404,036 1,531,884 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 346,339 375,205 
			 Harrow PCT 255,367 276,176 
			 Hartlepool PCT 131,905 144,243 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 248,194 270,154 
			 Havering PCT 303,017 331,028 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 410,557 454,255 
			 Herefordshire PCT 202,786 226,439 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 288,702 316,327 
			 Hillingdon PCT 308,041 333,169 
			 Hounslow PCT 298,309 322,634 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 371,301 401,457 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 185,563 204,994 
			 Islington PCT 336,943 363,928 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 275,175 297,613 
			 Kingston PCT 202,727 219,238 
			 Kirklees PCT 485,093 527,512 
			 Knowsley PCT 243,375 268,697 
			 Lambeth PCT 467,660 505,097 
			 Leeds PCT 952,025 1,032,366 
			 Leicester City Teaching PCT 386,947 424,964 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 663,407 730,485 
			 Lewisham PCT 397,785 429,633 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 829,240 922,602 
			 Liverpool PCT 733,222 803,354 
			 Luton Teaching PCT 223,068 247,703 
			 Manchester PCT 735,995 815,430 
			 Medway Teaching PCT 304,301 340,701 
			 Mid Essex PCT 365,484 405,722 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 208,845 228,340 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 247,043 277,919 
			 Newcastle PCT 386,439 417,413 
			 Newham PCT 415,179 454,046 
			 Norfolk PCT 839,936 932,449 
			 North East Essex PCT 381,624 422,921 
			 North East Lincolnshire PCT 210,372 229,114 
			 North Lancashire PCT 418,760 456,349 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 190,441 208,972 
			 North Somerset PCT 225,201 251,427 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 255,312 278,040 
			 North Tees PCT 228,058 253,743 
			 North Tyneside PCT 273,205 298,390 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 870,019 947,379 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 730,405 817,249 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 399,055 434,542 
			 Nottingham City PCT 396,017 430,928 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 766,008 839,335 
			 Oldham PCT 304,145 332,588 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 663,385 727,498 
			 Peterborough PCT 200,369 226,047 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 320,442 348,433 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 232,225 253,929 
			 Redbridge PCT 292,512 317,506 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 189,438 206,163 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 224,520 242,789 
			 Rotherham PCT 330,233 361,022 
			 Salford Teaching PCT 346,814 374,615 
			 Sandwell PCT 422,253 461,941 
			 Sefton PCT 389,658 424,393 
			 Sheffield PCT 721,813 783,833 
			 Shropshire County PCT 331,198 363,336 
			 Solihull Care Trust 236,950 259,370 
			 Somerset PCT 598,119 661,858 
			 South Birmingham PCT 467,293 510,764 
			 South East Essex PCT 405,020 441,775 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 250,189 275,190 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 653,701 716,139 
			 South Tyneside PCT 222,991 243,791 
			 South West Essex Teaching PCT 473,017 525,622 
			 Southampton City PCT 295,218 323,249 
			 Southwark PCT 401,542 433,721 
			 Stockport PCT 349,861 379,343 
			 Stoke on Trent Teaching PCT 360,415 392,763 
			 Suffolk PCT 659,034 726,691 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 413,283 449,010 
			 Surrey PCT 1,234,594 1,335,260 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 459,723 497,211 
			 Swindon PCT 223,813 243,943 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 308,593 337,310 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 187,621 209,334 
			 Torbay Care Trust 185,688 207,397 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 360,074 395,521 
			 Trafford PCT 275,442 299,535 
			 Wakefield District PCT 444,548 489,186 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 342,196 374,066 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 320,806 347,335 
			 Wandsworth PCT 388,415 420,027 
			 Warrington PCT 237,103 259,050 
			 Warwickshire PCT 592,423 652,206 
			 West Cheshire PCT 303,849 332,116 
			 West Essex PCT 313,574 340,399 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 627,084 679,655 
			 West Kent PCT 740,523 810,316 
			 West Sussex Teaching PCT 952,453 1,034,023 
			 Westminster PCT 367,029 396,902 
			 Wiltshire PCT 490,847 539,616 
			 Wirral PCT 459,538 500,617 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 326,781 360,656 
			 Worcestershire PCT 617,658 679,281 
			 England 64,309,595 70,354,697

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government has taken to address the effects of climate change on developing countries.

Michael Foster: Lifting people out of poverty decreases vulnerability to climate change, so all of the UK's poverty reduction work has a role in addressing the effect of climate change. The UK is also working to prevent the most serious potential impacts by pushing for an ambitious new global agreement to tackle climate change and helping developing countries prepare for international negotiations.
	Around one third of the UK's 800 million contribution to the World Bank's Climate Investment Funds will support the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience. This will support a number of countries to address the impacts of climate change through their development plans and budgets. The UK is also one of the largest donors, contributing 20 million, to the UN Special Funds which are focused on helping developing countries adapt to climate change.
	We are also addressing climate impacts through DFID's country programmes. For example, a new 75 million programme will support Bangladesh's efforts to protect its people further from impacts such as rising sea-levels, water-logged land and increased salinity. DFID is already spending 50 million to help improve the livelihoods of 32,000 families in Bangladesh by raising homes above 1 in 100 year flood level.

Developing Countries: Poverty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government has taken to make the UK public aware of the incidence and consequences of poverty globally.

Michael Foster: The Department and its Ministers take every opportunity to raise awareness of issues around global poverty. The Department for International Development (DFID) has had an active programme of building awareness about global poverty issues and their consequences for over 10 years. This programme includes work with schools and the statutory education sector, youth and community groups, the private sector, trade unions and NGOs, as well as communicating with the wider UK public.
	The activities are diverse and far reaching, broadly including information dissemination, the development of programmes to build deeper levels of understanding of the issues, as well as creating opportunities for individuals to become actively engaged in development.
	Further information is available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/

Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the transparency of its international aid.

Michael Foster: The 2006 International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act commits the Department for International Development (DFID) to report annually to Parliament on the effectiveness of both multilateral and bilateral aid in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC) monitors and publishes DFID's performance against the international targets agreed in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The 2008 monitoring survey shows that, three years ahead of the 2010 deadline, we have met or exceeded seven of the 10 targets, and are very close to meeting another. We are on track to meet the remaining two targets by 2010. A recent independent evaluation of the results has been published by the DAC at
	http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/19/9/40888983.pdf.
	Additionally, in September 2008, DFID published the UK Progress Report on Aid Effectiveness, showing that the UK is delivering on its promises to make aid work harder for poor people. This is available on the DFID website
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/aid-effectiveness.pdf.
	The UK is also working closely with the EU to improve the transparency of aid. At the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF) in September 2008, donors and partner countries committed to make aid more transparent and the UK launched the International Aid Transparency Initiative. This was endorsed by 13 other donors, including the World Bank, UNDP, EC and Germany. It will enable partner Governments and their citizensthose who ultimately benefit from aidto plan for and make the best use of aid. It will also help citizens hold donors and Governments to account for their promises.

Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the monitoring of aid given to ensure it is spent as intended.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) provides assurance that:
	The funds were paid to the intended recipient;
	The funds have been used for the purposes agreed;
	The use of the funds has been audited.
	This is a key part of DFID's broader responsibility for ensuring that spending represents value for money.
	Recent steps taken to improve monitoring on aid expenditure include:
	The introduction of ARIES (Activities Reporting Information E-System) has a major impact on DFID's financial accounting activities. ARIES will strengthen reporting controls to ensure that aid spend is properly monitored.
	DFID's internal guidance for staff about the evidence required to ensure that funds have been used for the purposes agreed has been strengthened. Also, a new health check list is available for staff administering existing budget support programmes. This includes points to consider for demonstrating that funds have been spent as intended.
	An updated review plan supported by regular audits by DFID's Internal Audit Department and the National Audit Office, focussing on key areas of aid delivery, has been agreed.

Sudan: Elections

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the Government plans to provide to voter education in preparation for the elections and referendum in Sudan.

Ivan Lewis: Voter education will be critical to the success of elections in Sudan. Over 11 million has been put aside to support the elections and referendum, and we expect a significant portion of this to support voter education.
	As the National Elections Commission that will oversee voter education in Sudan is yet to be established, the bulk of proposed UK Government support have not yet been programmed. However, since December 2007, the UK Government have supported an initial programme of broad civic education through the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, an international non-governmental organisation with extensive networks of local partners. We will also provide funding to the UN to launch a programme of preparatory support to the elections process. The UK Government intend to contribute an initial 1.5 million to this programme, which will fund a range of activities related to voter education: supporting information campaigns, training of key actors such as civil society organisations and electoral assistance staff, development of materials and the provision of small grants for local initiatives.

Departmental NDPBs

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 856-58W, on departmental NDPBs, what funding has been agreed with  (a) the Royal Parks Agency and  (b) each of his Department's NDPBs for the period 2008-11.

Barbara Follett: Cash funding for the Royal Parks is as follows:
	
		
			  000 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 The Royal Parks 18,724 18,424 18,124 
		
	
	Grant in aid funding for NDPB is as follows:
	
		
			  000 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 British Museum plus Cultural Diplomacy 50,875 52,028 54,222 
			 Natural History Museum 51,195 51,080 50,321 
			 Imperial War Museum 23,588 24,163 24,752 
			 National Gallery 26,869 27,287 29,222 
			 National Maritime Museum 19,313 18,983 19,415 
			 National Museums Liverpool 22,488 22,965 24,555 
			 National Portrait Gallery 7,693 7,744 7,879 
			 National Museum of Science and Industry 39,158 40,608 41,583 
			 Tate Gallery 46,784 57,663 58,565 
			 Victoria and Albert Museum 44,234 44,761 45,902 
			 Wallace Collection 4,228 4,301 4,377 
			 Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester 4,803 4,987 5,095 
			 Sir John Soane's Museum 1,276 1,181 1,211 
			 Horniman Museum 4,757 4,566 4,679 
			 Geffrye Museum 1,748 1,791 1,836 
			 Royal Armouries 8,264 8,474 8,689 
			 British Library 106,904 109,464 112,094 
			 Public Lending Right 7,432 7,582 7,682 
			 Museums Libraries and Archives Council 13,971 12,971 11,471 
			 Arts Council of England 430,905 445,005 468,505 
			 Sport England 133,163 130,163 128,163 
			 UK Sports Council 50,551 60,551 63,551 
			 Football Licensing Authority 1,321 1,261 1,261 
			 English Heritage 128,858 130,858 135,258 
			 Churches Conservation Trust 3,100 3,100 3,100 
			 Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment 4,690 4,690 4,690 
			 National Heritage Memorial Fund 10,000 10,000 10,000 
			 Royal Household 16,107 16,107 16,107 
			 Visit Britain 47,900 45,400 40,900 
			 UK Film Council 37,464 42,134 36,521 
			 Welsh Fourth Channel (S4C) 98,112 100,042 102,655 
			 The Gambling Commission 500 500 500 
			 Olympic Delivery Authority 1,118,000 1,014,000 1,044,300